One of the quiet joys of running this program is bumping into people who've been through it. Last week it happened at the RitchieBot Chicago premiere in Pilsen—two LEAD alumni, out in the wild, doing exactly the kind of applied work the program is meant to launch.

It's a small thing, but it's the thing. The ten weeks end; the network doesn't. Alumni keep showing up at demos, meetups, and premieres around the city, and they keep pulling the next cohort forward with them.

“The best part wasn't the project—it was the people I still work alongside.”

If you're an alum, we'd love to hear where you've landed. Come say hi at the next event.